Are you looking to completely delete a WordPress theme from your site? Whether you want to free up server space, improve site security, or fix errors caused by outdated themes, this guide will help you do it effortlessly. Below, we’ll cover three simple methods to remove WordPress themes from your website without leaving behind any unnecessary files.
Things to Keep in Mind Before Deleting a WordPress Theme
- Take a Backup: Always take a full backup of your site before making any changes. If anything goes wrong, you can restore your site quickly.
- Inactive Themes Only: You cannot delete the active theme on your site. Switch to a different theme before deleting.
Method 1: Deleting a WordPress Theme via Admin Dashboard
This is the easiest and quickest method for removing themes without any technical knowledge.
Steps to Delete a WordPress Theme via Dashboard:
- Log in to WordPress Admin: Go to your WordPress dashboard.
- Navigate to Appearance > Themes: Here, you’ll see all your installed themes.
- Select the Theme to Delete: Click on the theme you want to delete to view its details.
- Delete the Theme: At the bottom-right corner, click the Delete button and confirm the action.
The theme will be removed from your server within seconds.
Note: You can’t delete an active theme directly. First, activate another theme (like Twenty Twenty-One), and then delete the desired theme.
Method 2: Deleting a WordPress Theme via cPanel
If you’re unable to access the WordPress admin area, you can delete themes via cPanel. This method is great for shared hosting users.
Steps to Delete a Theme Using cPanel:
- Log in to cPanel: Use your hosting account credentials to access the cPanel dashboard.
- Open File Manager: Navigate to the File Manager under the “Files” section.
- Go to the Themes Folder: Open the public_html > wp-content > themes directory.
- Delete the Theme Folder: Find the folder of the theme you want to remove, right-click it, and select Delete. Confirm the deletion.
The theme folder will be permanently deleted from your server. You can verify this by checking the themes section in your WordPress admin area.
Method 3: Deleting a WordPress Theme via FTP
If you prefer more control, using an FTP client like FileZilla is another effective option.
Steps to Delete a Theme Using FTP:
- Install an FTP Client: Download and install FileZilla (or any other FTP client).
- Connect to Your Server: Use your FTP credentials (host, username, password, and port) to connect FileZilla to your server.
- Navigate to Themes Folder: Go to wp-content > themes.
- Delete the Theme Folder: Select the theme folder you want to remove, right-click, and choose Delete.
FileZilla will delete the folder from your server. This method works even if your WordPress dashboard is inaccessible.
Advanced Solutions for Missing Featured Images
While deleting themes, you might face issues like broken featured images. Here are two advanced plugins to bulk-generate or fetch featured images:
Option 1: Magic Featured Image Plugin
- Automatically fetch images for your posts from Google.
- Supports bulk-generation for thousands of posts.
- Ideal for blogs with missing images during migration.
Option 2: FIFU Premium Plugin
- Automatically sets the first image URL in your posts as the featured image.
- Can process 2,000+ posts in under 10 seconds.
- Perfect for posts with embedded image URLs.
Conclusion
Deleting a WordPress theme is essential for maintaining a clutter-free and secure website. Whether you choose to delete via the dashboard, cPanel, or FTP, each method is beginner-friendly and effective. Remember to always back up your site before making any changes.
If you’re facing issues like missing featured images, tools like Magic Featured Image or FIFU Premium Plugin can save you hours of manual work.
By following these steps, you can confidently manage your WordPress themes and keep your website running smoothly.